Fugue in a Nursery, Nursery: A Fugue Summary

The activity in this scene and all the others to follow in this act take place in a huge bed in which Arnold, Alan, Laurel, and Ed all sit or recline depending on the action. The stage lights focus only on the characters that are speaking at the time, a staging element that eliminates the need for scenery. The characters stay in the bed even though they could be at completely different locations throughout the act.

It is the evening of the first day of Arnold and Alan's visit with Laurel and Ed, and Laurel is feeling particularly smug about her sophistication of hosting Ed's former lover in their home. Ed does not understand all the commotion over a weekend visit and ultimately reveals his discomfort that Arnold has brought Alan...